4A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

#4 DESERT EDGE (10-3) vs. #6 MESQUITE (10-3)

WHEN: Friday Dec. 6, 7 p.m.

WHERE: Willow Canyon High School, 17901 W. Lundberg Street, Surprise

COACHES: Desert Edge - Jose Lucero, record at Desert Edge is 26-11; Mesquite - Scott Hare, record at Mesquite is 10-3

2019 POSTSEASON TO DATE: Desert Edge defeated Prescott, 37-7 in first round; defeated Casa Grande, 24-21 in quarters; defeated Gila Ridge, 35-28 in semis. Mesquite defeated Pueblo, 21-6 in first round; defeated Marcos de Niza, 27-26 in quarters; defeated Cactus, 28-27 in semis. 

SEASON STAT LEADERS: Desert Edge offense - Rushing - So. RB Jeryll McIntosh, 1,180 yards, 11 TDs  Passing - So. QB Adryan Lara, 3,703 yards, 37 TDs, 12 INT. Receiving - Sr. WR Jihad Marks, 90 catches, 1,559 yards, 17 TDs; Jr. WR Andrew Patterson, 49 catches, 1,114 yards, 11 TDs; So. WR Richard Kulik, 30 catches, 273 yards, 2 TDs; Sr. WR Keith Mckaney, 23 catches, 488 yards, 6 TDs. Defense - Jr. LB Myles Hobbs, 97 tackles; Jr. DB Steven Ortiz, 79 tackles; Jr. LB Isabien Ramos, 67 tackles; Jr. DL RJ Roberts, 54 tackles; Jr. S Mikey Ortiz, 4 INT; Jr. CB Cliffonte McDowell, 3 INT. Mesquite offense - Rushing - Sr. RB Chris Hintze, 761 yards, 6 TDs; Jr. QB Ty Thompson, 555 yards, 6 TDs  Passing -- Jr. QB Thompson, 3.688 yards, 42 TDs, 12 INT. Receiving - Sr. WR Jordan Wollangk, 53 catches, 938 yards, 9 TDs; Sr. WR Jacob Walker, 51 catches, 853 yards, 17 TDs; So. WR Andrew Morris, 47 catches, 722 yards, 5 TDs; Sr. WR Michael Sterling, 35 catches, 579 yards, 5 TDs; Sr. RB Hintze, 28 catches, 434 yards, 5 TDs. Defense - NA.

Mesquite quarterback Ty Thompson hopes to help the Wildcats claim their first ever football title. (Photo by Steve Paynter/Max Preps)

THE MATCHUP:  Desert Edge, winners of six games in a row and 8 of its last nine, will play in its third title game in school history having gone 1-1 in the past. That's  a runner-up in 2012 to Queen Creek and a win over Paradise Valley in 2015. The championship game is the first in Mesquite's two-decade history. Desert Edge is exceedingly young with juniors and sophomores dotting the units on both sides of the ball. Desert Edge's defense has eight players playing thier first year on varsity. Mesquite is senior heavy on offense and defense. Perhaps the physical maturity of the Wildcats' senior-laden squad will be to their advantage. The contest pits the top two passers in 4A in terms of yardage and TDs - Desert Edge's 6-foot-1, 170-pound sophomore Adryan Lara and Mesquite's 6-4, 210, junior Ty Thompson. Lara hasn't been as sharp in postseason with Casa Grande making him ordinary with  just 119 yards passing and no TDs. Lara has seven TD passes and 4 picks in three playoff games. Thompson used his legs as much as him arm to subdue Marcos de Niza in the quarters and had a huge night passing in the semis vs. Cactus (354 yards passing, 3 TDs). Both Lara and Thompson have an array of receivers they can target. Choosing a target to key on defensively may be risky. Still Mesquite coach Scott Hare is wary of Scorpions' top receiver and playmaker Jihad Marks. The teams have come up clutch in winning their last two playoff games - Mesquite with a late TD to beat Marcos de Niza and a goal line stop for two points to thwart Cactus. Desert Edge booted a field goal on the final play to turn away Casa Grande in a three-point win and held off the surprise of the conference - Gila Ridge late to reach the final. The difference could rest in the edge Desert Edge has via the run. Mesquite has struggled to stop the run. The Wildcats also need to give Thompson adequate time to throw although the junior 's ability to make plays scrambling is a benefit.